Kalla wants Aceh peace talks to continue
Kalla wants Aceh peace talks to continue
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Responding to the House of Representatives' demand that the government halt the ongoing peace talks with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), Vice President Jusuf Kalla said the dialog must go on.
Kalla said that after four rounds of talks in Helsinki, the two sides had agreed on 90 percent of a comprehensive settlement to the three decades of armed conflict in the natural resources- rich province.
Kalla, who received the President's mandate to initiate the peace talks, ensured lawmakers that the government would not accept the cease-fire proposed by GAM if the truce would enable the rebels to consolidate.
"Our stance (in rejecting a cease-fire) is in consideration of the continued armed clashes between military troops and GAM rebels in the field," Kalla said over the weekend.
The House urged an end to the talks after the fourth round of negotiations concluded on Tuesday with unfinished business that would require a fifth meeting to reach a final agreement.
The lawmakers also underlined their concern about too much foreign intervention to the peace process.
Kalla dismissed the House's fear, pointing to the role Indonesian Army Gen. Kivlan Zen is playing in monitoring peace talks between the Philippines government and Moro separatist rebels).
"What is the difference?" Kalla asked.
The latest round of talks in Helsinki discussed a wide range of issues, including self-government for Aceh, amnesty, the reintegration of rebels back into society, human rights and justice arrangements, economic arrangements and security.
The two sides agreed on the involvement of foreign monitoring teams from the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to supervise the implementation of the peace agreement in the field.
The talks, however, deadlocked over GAM's demand for the establishment of local political parties and direct elections for members of the executive and legislative bodies in Aceh.
Jakarta said the demands had no basis in the country's legal system, but a member of the GAM negotiating team, Mohammad Nur Djuli, said they were in accordance with traditional laws that were observed in Aceh hundreds of years before Aceh acknowledged the sovereignty of Indonesia.
Law No. 18/2001 on special autonomy for Aceh reintroduced these traditional laws as legislation in the province.
GAM has rejected the special autonomy outlined in this law, instead proposing self-government in order to give the Acehnese more freedom to administer their lands.
Kalla said the talks had brought the two sides closer.
"The armed conflict in Aceh has been going on for decades and we are trying to settle it. Just believe that Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Jusuf Kalla will put this country's interests above all else," said Kalla.
He said the People's Consultative Assembly signed a decree in 1999 that mandated the government to seek a peaceful settlement to the Aceh issue.
"Some of the House members (who oppose the talks) were the same Assembly members who approved the decree," Kalla said.
The All-Indonesian Regencies Coordination Body and the Association of All-Indonesia Regional Administrations sent letters on June 2 to the House, asking the legislative body to give the peace talks a chance.
"Haven't the lawmakers read the letters?" Kalla asked.
Kalla also called on GAM to lay down their arms and allow the peace process to move forward.